Introduction to Latin AmericaLesson 1

Objectives• Explain how geographic features and climate have

influenced where people live • Identify on a map where each of the Latin

American countries are located• Identify how the historical origins contributed to

the cultural diversity

Warm Up

• What regions make up Latin America? • Mexico

• Central America• Caribbean• South America

Geography & Climate• Mountains• Andes• Brazilian Highlands

• Tropical Rainforest • “the lungs of the world”• Costa Rica

• Plains• Pampas & Ilanos

• Desert• Patagonian• Atacama• Chihuahuan Desert (MEX)

• Rivers• Amazon

People and Cultures

• Ancestry to Native American, African, and Europeans•Mestizos= N.A. & Euro•Mulattoes= Afrcian & Euro • Language

s• Spanish• Portuguese • French/ Creole

Historical Overview

• Age of Exploration•Conquistadors•Cultural Convergence• Slaves• Natives• Europeans

• Independence Mvnts •Toussaint L’Ouverture - Haiti•Simon Bolivar- South America• Jose de San Martin- Argentina and Chile•Problem- dependent on trade w/Euro

• Struggles for Reform

Economies, Technology, & Environment• Cash Crops• Bananas• Coffee

• Mining • Fishing • Industrialization

• Issues• Air pollution• Destruction of rainforest• Urbanization

Map Activity

• Label and identify the different locations on the map of Latin America (~30-45min)

Closure

• How has European exploration influenced the cultures in Latin America today?

• How has independence led to changes in Latin America?